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Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels

"Magnificent! The best how-to manual ever published." — Kevin Kelly, Cool Tools
Scott McCloud tore down the wall between high and low culture in 1993 with Understanding Comics, a massive comic book about comics, linking the medium to such diverse fields as media theory, movie criticism, and web design. In Reinventing Comics, McCloud took this to the next level, charting twe "Magnificent! The best how-to manual ever published." — Kevin Kelly, Cool Tools
Scott McCloud tore down the wall between high and low culture in 1993 with Understanding Comics, a massive comic book about comics, linking the medium to such diverse fields as media theory, movie criticism, and web design. In Reinventing Comics, McCloud took this to the next level, charting twelve different revolutions in how comics are generated, read, and perceived today. Now, in Making Comics, McCloud focuses his analysis on the art form itself, exploring the creation of comics, from the broadest principles to the sharpest details (like how to accentuate a character's facial muscles in order to form the emotion of disgust rather than the emotion of surprise.) And he does all of it in his inimitable voice and through his cartoon stand–in narrator, mixing dry humor and legitimate instruction. McCloud shows his reader how to master the human condition through word and image in a brilliantly minimalistic way. Both comic book devotees and the uninitiated will marvel at this journey into a once–underappreciated art form.

"Magnificent! The best how-to manual ever published." — Kevin Kelly, Cool Tools
Scott McCloud tore down the wall between high and low culture in 1993 with Understanding Comics, a massive comic book about comics, linking the medium to such diverse fields as media theory, movie criticism, and web design. In Reinventing Comics, McCloud took this to the next level, charting twe "Magnificent! The best how-to manual ever published." — Kevin Kelly, Cool Tools
Scott McCloud tore down the wall between high and low culture in 1993 with Understanding Comics, a massive comic book about comics, linking the medium to such diverse fields as media theory, movie criticism, and web design. In Reinventing Comics, McCloud took this to the next level, charting twelve different revolutions in how comics are generated, read, and perceived today. Now, in Making Comics, McCloud focuses his analysis on the art form itself, exploring the creation of comics, from the broadest principles to the sharpest details (like how to accentuate a character's facial muscles in order to form the emotion of disgust rather than the emotion of surprise.) And he does all of it in his inimitable voice and through his cartoon stand–in narrator, mixing dry humor and legitimate instruction. McCloud shows his reader how to master the human condition through word and image in a brilliantly minimalistic way. Both comic book devotees and the uninitiated will marvel at this journey into a once–underappreciated art form.

30 review for
Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels

5 out of 5

Aaron–Mar 13, 2007

The frustrating thing about how authoritative McCloud is is the fact that he's essentially right about everything. I've read it half-a-dozen times, and I'm doing the chapter exercises, and I'm very angry about how correct he often is.

4 out of 5

Trey–Mar 28, 2011

I've always wondered why the master of explaining comics has never achieved the status of master of creating comics. Scott McCloud admits as much in the first few pages of "Making Comics," and I assumed for most of the book that it's a case of "those who can't do teach." If he had the innate ability to put great ideas on paper, maybe he wouldn't have the time (or the ability) to analyze comics so well. Towards the end, though, McCloud mentions another factor that may be holding him back when he I've always wondered why the master of explaining comics has never achieved the status of master of creating comics. Scott McCloud admits as much in the first few pages of "Making Comics," and I assumed for most of the book that it's a case of "those who can't do teach." If he had the innate ability to put great ideas on paper, maybe he wouldn't have the time (or the ability) to analyze comics so well. Towards the end, though, McCloud mentions another factor that may be holding him back when he describes the four comics camps: classicists, animists, formalists, and iconoclasts. "I'll confess to the sins of the formalist [understanding of, experimentation with, and loyalty to the comics form]. I can point to any number of comics that I've drawn in which experimental ideas were pretty much their only virture. Anybody calling such comics 'dry,' 'academic' or 'unreadable' won't get much resistance from me.... But formalists like me can screw up badly when we try to tell a story straight. We keep getting distracted by all the formal possibilities along the way, and wind up with a stiff, fill-in-the-blanks comic where individual panels are just bored excuses to get to the next big idea.... It's hard to just tell a story straight when there are so many possibilities in the air." While McCloud wants to give the formalist camp as much importance as the classicists and animists, it's hard for me to believe that you can create compelling comics that people want to read and be invested in by focusing on the form instead of the content.
In theory, this book helps comic book writers, but I feel like it is much more geared toward artists. Even though I have no artistic talent, and therefore no chance of trying out anything McCloud suggests in this book, it was still a worthwhile read.

I really enjoy Scott McCloud. He is insightful and funny and his analytic method is always useful in dissection of concept. I find that the conscientious author tends to be the superior author, and for this reason, McCLoud is indispensable.
Another thing that is refreshing about McCloud is that he takes the medium very seriously, and reminds us, as creators, that we have a responsibility to the art to do everything we can with it, and not simply accept the given standards.
In a lot of ways, this b I really enjoy Scott McCloud. He is insightful and funny and his analytic method is always useful in dissection of concept. I find that the conscientious author tends to be the superior author, and for this reason, McCLoud is indispensable.
Another thing that is refreshing about McCloud is that he takes the medium very seriously, and reminds us, as creators, that we have a responsibility to the art to do everything we can with it, and not simply accept the given standards.
In a lot of ways, this book feels like an update of Understanding Comics, but with a greater mindfulness of the creator, and less for the pure history and development of the art. 'Making Comics' is an inspirational work which avoids treading the ground of other 'how to's, instead focusing on asking 'how might you'?
My Suggested Reading In Comics

5 out of 5

Kellan Gibby–Jan 17, 2017

Honestly, I don't really know how to review a book like this, so all I'm gonna say is... I absolutely loved it. It entertained me, it taught me something, and it inspired me. It also had some really great art by Scott McCloud here and there. I have nothing bad to say about it.
Read this whether or not you actually have an interest in making your own comics. You'll learn a lot about how the medium works, and it'll make you appreciate your already favorite books even more.
RECOMMENDED Honestly, I don't really know how to review a book like this, so all I'm gonna say is... I absolutely loved it. It entertained me, it taught me something, and it inspired me. It also had some really great art by Scott McCloud here and there. I have nothing bad to say about it.
Read this whether or not you actually have an interest in making your own comics. You'll learn a lot about how the medium works, and it'll make you appreciate your already favorite books even more.
R͟E͟C͟O͟M͟M͟E͟N͟D͟E͟D

5 out of 5

Joshua–Sep 08, 2018

Scott McCloud always reminds me why I love comics, and this book is no different. The fact that I lead a MakerSpace for kids and teenagers about making comics on the same day I finished this book was also a delightful bit of serendipity.
Unlike his previous two books (UnderStanding Comics and ReInventing Comics) Making Comics does not explore the culture relevance of the medium of comics, nor does it attempt to validate the form as a legitimate medium. Instead McCloud leads this book with the ide Scott McCloud always reminds me why I love comics, and this book is no different. The fact that I lead a MakerSpace for kids and teenagers about making comics on the same day I finished this book was also a delightful bit of serendipity.
Unlike his previous two books (UnderStanding Comics and ReInventing Comics) Making Comics does not explore the culture relevance of the medium of comics, nor does it attempt to validate the form as a legitimate medium. Instead McCloud leads this book with the idea that the reader probably has already read these books, or else already believes comics to be a worthwhile medium. And from there he provides the reader with a toolbox. This metaphor is used purposefully because often while reading it I felt like I was receiving one unique tool after another and whether it was advice for character designs, atmosphere designs, drawing equipment, Software programming for digital sketching, drafting, etc. Every page of this book was beautifully and carefully constructed to reflect the argument McCloud was making. This book is the work of a human being compelled by passion to make something great, but also to pass along the wisdom of a lifetime learned.
Scott McCloud is likely to fall into the same company as Will Eisner who fought for comics as a worthwhile form of art, and Making Comics is proof of that. McCloud, like Eisner, like me, and like so many of the people who pick up comics and disappear have been waiting for books like this. It's not just an empty guide of "how-to's," it an opportunity share a familiar passion.
I loved this book all the more for it, and can't wait to see it's effect on the next generation of comics artists.

5 out of 5

Danielle Freeman–Jul 20, 2014

I picked up this book because, as a student of animation, I believe firmly that knowing how comics work and what makes them work is essential to being able to make a good animated film or series. After all, animation as we know it was born of comics. What I discovered in this book was not just a guide to making great comics, but to telling great stories.
In Making Comics, McCloud lays down the fundamentals of storytelling through text and pictures--everything from character design to world buildi I picked up this book because, as a student of animation, I believe firmly that knowing how comics work and what makes them work is essential to being able to make a good animated film or series. After all, animation as we know it was born of comics. What I discovered in this book was not just a guide to making great comics, but to telling great stories.
In Making Comics, McCloud lays down the fundamentals of storytelling through text and pictures--everything from character design to world building to formatting of text and word balloons. It's basically a crash course in comic book authorship from a master. But, in breaking down how to make great comics, the author also teaches the reader how to make great visual art and tell a great story. Many of the lessons contained in this book (as well as Understanding Comics) can be applied to all forms of storytelling media, from animation to live action film and television to literature.
So, if you are an artist or storyteller of any kind, I seriously recommend this book. No matter what style you write or draw in, no matter what your genre, no matter what your medium, this book holds valuable lessons for all creators and storytellers.

4 out of 5

Ashley–Jan 28, 2015

I really loved this book. I can't count the times that McCloud said, "A complete understanding of this topic is beyond the scope of this book, buuuut let me do all the hard work and give you the highlights." And so he did. I am a theory-minded person so his breakdown was particularly helpful to me and those who think in more abstract terms. But of course the entire book is one big comic so there are tons of illustrative pictures and comparisons for those who want to see a more concrete example! I really loved this book. I can't count the times that McCloud said, "A complete understanding of this topic is beyond the scope of this book, buuuut let me do all the hard work and give you the highlights." And so he did. I am a theory-minded person so his breakdown was particularly helpful to me and those who think in more abstract terms. But of course the entire book is one big comic so there are tons of illustrative pictures and comparisons for those who want to see a more concrete example! I highly recommend this book for those interested in creating comics, especially if you've had no formal training. (I'm not sure how much of this ground gets covered in art classes, because as a writer, I am a complete novice to the art side.)
I'm going to go find all McCloud's comics now.

5 out of 5

Tamahome–May 08, 2014

I'm not going to make comics, but I still find it interesting to read about storytelling. Remember, symmetry means life.
All done. If you liked Understanding Comics, it's pretty much more of the same. Plus he references a ton of indie comics and they're indexed in the back. He also has Reinventing Comics, but that seems to be unpopular, heh.

5 out of 5

Erin–Jan 30, 2016

(I don't do stars.)
Not an artist, not a cartoonist. I just love reading guides for creative activities that aren't my own.
Making Comics concerns itself with decisions about the form that can happen organically or chosen deliberately. As a "happen organically" type, I really appreciate anything I can soak up on the other side. The section on Stories for Humans should be required reading for anyone who tells them. The rest is excellent for any writer who wants to take on the challenge of thinking (I don't do stars.)
Not an artist, not a cartoonist. I just love reading guides for creative activities that aren't my own.
Making Comics concerns itself with decisions about the form that can happen organically or chosen deliberately. As a "happen organically" type, I really appreciate anything I can soak up on the other side. The section on Stories for Humans should be required reading for anyone who tells them. The rest is excellent for any writer who wants to take on the challenge of thinking MUCH more visually.

5 out of 5

Toby–Feb 28, 2016

I got this book when I was really young, and it's what got me into comics. I have to get a new copy, because the one I have is falling apart from so much reading, re-reading, and referencing.
If you want to get into writing and/or drawing comics, this book is essential. Every time I read it I notice a new gold nugget of information or philosophy that inspires me to go and make more comics.

4 out of 5

Alex Ristea–Nov 16, 2013

Fantastic, fantastic introductory book to the world of comics. It's told in an easy, conversational style, making for a quick, yet deeply effective read.
In the end, story is story, no matter the medium.
Even though I'm garbage at drawing, I hope this will inform my own writing, or at least make me see the graphic novels I read in a new light.

5 out of 5

Jil H–Jun 25, 2018

Probably one of the best art books I've ever read. Scott McCloud does a fabulous job in collecting lots of different techniques, tips and tricks, while still encouraging the reader to break out of them and experiment.
If you're interested in creating comics you should definitely add this guide to your "to read" list.

5 out of 5

Bruce–Apr 21, 2018

This is the third in Scott McCloud’s nonfiction trilogy on the semiotics of sequential art, nee, comics. All three books consider comics literacy: how comics “work” from the standpoint of cultural reference and mental shorthand. His first book, Understanding Comics, makes this an explicit theme and is essential reading. His follow-up, Reinventing Comics, tries to turn the idea on its head by suggesting a variety of experimental forms. As such, the book is a curious exploration of counterintuit This is the third in Scott McCloud’s nonfiction trilogy on the semiotics of sequential art, nee, comics. All three books consider comics literacy: how comics “work” from the standpoint of cultural reference and mental shorthand. His first book, Understanding Comics, makes this an explicit theme and is essential reading. His follow-up, Reinventing Comics, tries to turn the idea on its head by suggesting a variety of experimental forms. As such, the book is a curious exploration of counterintuitive narrative and artistic approaches an artist might deploy while still using the basic comics tropes of sequenced illustrations and text arranged in (and out of) framed borders. It’s a well-intentioned effort, but not nearly as insightful, useful, or interesting.
This, McCloud's latest metawork, represents the author’s version of a how-to guide for aspiring artists. However, in lieu of a more traditional "draw Snoopy like a professional artist" approach, McCloud's subject matter is purposed to promote conscious, authorial decisions about story and style, subdividing what he regards as the most important-to-master aspects of the media in the service of communicating with emotional impact. Over five sections he illustratively addresses: (1) coherence (respectively achievable via appropriate pacing, shot selection, balance between realism and abstract representation, textual content, and page layout); (2) figure drawing (with a focus on Jungian emotional classification as interpreted by the muscles of the face and basic posture); (3) the interplay of images, words, and words as images in showing vs. telling; (4) the function of landscape and perspective; and least of all, (5) the strengths and weaknesses of various tools of the trade (an aspect of the book most likely to become obsolete). The work concludes with an essay about literary form and the increasing cross-pollenization of manga, superhero, independent/underground, and Euro long-form styles that would be right at home as an art appreciation appendix in the first book of his series.
You don’t need to be a comics wannabe or devotee to appreciate this, irrespective of whether you are persuaded by all of McCloud’s analyses. One of his farther-fetched fancies is an entertaining passage that translates psychologist Paul Ekman's six emotional "primaries" into expressive colors you can mix for variation and shade for intensity (joy + sadness = pity, anger + sadness = betrayal, etc.). (Both illustrations from page 86)
Strictly from a drawing standpoint, I'm not sure how practical the idea would be as against capturing your own face from a mirror or selfie, but you can play with the app someone built to animate the idea if you have an iPhone and a dollar. Whatever. Making Comics reveals the author as a talented artist and master essayist in his element unpacking the ways and means of visual communication, replete with delicious examples. It won’t take you long to read, and is well worth your time.
Incidentally, for a broader taste of Scott McCloud's work in this area check out the author's companion Chapter 5½, published contemporaneously and exclusively online (but IMHO not quite as good as the rest of the book).

5 out of 5

paper (^,..,^) vampire–Jan 28, 2018

Very thorough and practical!

5 out of 5

Erik–Jan 24, 2009

Although I was never a huge fan of his retro-esque work on the 80s Zot!, Scott McCloud has become – in my eyes – the hero of modern comic book structural theory and analysis. And one heck of an effective writer and artist at conveying the hidden truths of this ever-developing medium, I might add. He is neither condescending nor intellectually ambiguous – despite his evident braininess.
As the author/artist of two earlier ground-breaking works – Understanding and Reinventing Comics (both of which Although I was never a huge fan of his retro-esque work on the 80s Zot!, Scott McCloud has become – in my eyes – the hero of modern comic book structural theory and analysis. And one heck of an effective writer and artist at conveying the hidden truths of this ever-developing medium, I might add. He is neither condescending nor intellectually ambiguous – despite his evident braininess.
As the author/artist of two earlier ground-breaking works – Understanding and Reinventing Comics (both of which I devoured a decade back when they were first published) – McCloud does what few in this arena have done before (with the sole exception of the late great Will Eisner): Deconstruct the medium of comics and graphic novels through the medium itself. Which, I might add, he uses in a brilliant and clever way when he illustrates – quite literally – its myriad structural techniques.
The first three chapters detail his theory behind the five structural choices (moment, frame, image, word, and flow) that the writer and artist must consider, human expression and body language that the artist must attend to, and then to the written word that the author must select for greatest effect (which may be maximized by using no words at all). These chapters, in my estimation, comprise the brainiest and most theoretical portion of the book – which may just put artistic and intellectual novices to sleep.
The last half of McCloud’s treatise focuses on world building (best exemplified in manga and more modern American comics like Watchmen and most Vertigo and indie titles), the tools of the trade (which whet my appetite for those care-free days of the 80s when I would sit down at my drawing table and pen and ink voluminous tales of super-heroics and science fiction), and genres of the three over-lapping mediums (comics, manga, and graphic novels).
If you ever held the disparaging opinion that comics are the daytime trash of the publishing industry, think again. Pick up any of McCloud’s three volumes deconstructing this under-praised and –acknowledged medium. And then pick up any one of the Eisner or Harvey winners in recent times (The Sandman, Bone, Eightball, et al.), and prepare to be awed.

4 out of 5

Eleanor–Apr 15, 2015

This is an excellent book for anyone interested in writing comics and wants some tips and tricks to help them on their way. I am personally working on creating my first comic book and though I have had years of art education and lessons in how to draw I have never learned anything about incorporating that into a narrative structure. So this book was exactly what I was looking for.
Unlike most books about making your own comic this is not a how to draw book. It is very firm in it’s view that you c This is an excellent book for anyone interested in writing comics and wants some tips and tricks to help them on their way. I am personally working on creating my first comic book and though I have had years of art education and lessons in how to draw I have never learned anything about incorporating that into a narrative structure. So this book was exactly what I was looking for.
Unlike most books about making your own comic this is not a how to draw book. It is very firm in it’s view that you can create comics in any way that you choose, but it attempts to cover fundamental things which all comics creators will need to consider including choice of images, creating characters and worlds and notes on tool favored by different artists.
This is Scott McCloud’s book and so is not the only way to do things but I found that it gave me plenty of food for thought and let me understand things better where I had been relying purely on intuition. Plus my nerdy heart loved the expanded noted at the end of each chapter including a whole page about pens! I could read about art materials for hours.
I will probably pick up one of his other non fiction books at some point. He uses the comic book format to explain points very effectively. The format makes sense for a book about comics but I am sure that it would also work well for other non fiction topics and my dyslexic brain found it really easy to understand (though I would disagree with it’s use of only uppercase letters, but that is a minor quibble and a personal thing).
So yes, a very useful book. I would recommend reading through it slowly and maybe doing some of the exercises at the end of the chapters (not cram it in less than a week, like I did, but I have a deadline looming).

4 out of 5

Sofia–Sep 06, 2009

Being rather new to the comics world (I only started reading them more steadily last year), I was eager to know more about the medium, and various online searches kept pointing to Understanding Comics The Invisible Art (also by Scott McCloud) as a great starting point. Unfortunately, at the time I set out to buy it it was unavailable, so I settled for this one instead.
I have to say I loved it! It really opened my eyes to a lot of details I was missing, or rather, things that I was aware of on an Being rather new to the comics world (I only started reading them more steadily last year), I was eager to know more about the medium, and various online searches kept pointing to Understanding Comics The Invisible Art (also by Scott McCloud) as a great starting point. Unfortunately, at the time I set out to buy it it was unavailable, so I settled for this one instead.
I have to say I loved it! It really opened my eyes to a lot of details I was missing, or rather, things that I was aware of on an unconscious level, but which make a huge difference when you're aware of them. Even if you don't actually want to "make" comics, this is still a great book to further your understanding of them. My appreciation for the medium and the amount of work that goes to each page certainly improved.
If I had to find something wrong with this book, it would be that it only scratches the surface on most points - but then again, the book describes itself as a starting point, and throughout the book you get many pointers from the author to further your knowledge of what's being discussed. Also, one has to keep in mind that this is only one of the three books Scott McCloud wrote on the subject, so what's missing from this one is probably explained in the others (which I will definitely be checking out).
I also love that this was written and presented in comic book form. It makes it a very fun read, while still being informative. Overall, it was everything I expected it to be.

4 out of 5

Eric–Mar 10, 2008

This is an excellent book for anyone who is interested in making comics, or just learning about the theory behind them.
Scott McCloud lays out the fundamental building blocks and questions behind creating a comic, and covers them in depth. He eschews questions of technical execution and personal style in favor of theory and design.
He covers communication, pacing, framing, and transitions in excellent detail. His chapter on the tools available is more brief, but gives a beginning cartoonist enough This is an excellent book for anyone who is interested in making comics, or just learning about the theory behind them.
Scott McCloud lays out the fundamental building blocks and questions behind creating a comic, and covers them in depth. He eschews questions of technical execution and personal style in favor of theory and design.
He covers communication, pacing, framing, and transitions in excellent detail. His chapter on the tools available is more brief, but gives a beginning cartoonist enough information to help decide where they would like to make their first forays.
The chapters on words and writing are similar to those on art. Rather than a step-by-step manual on how to do it, he presents the groundwork on what to do, and how to approach it.
Throughout the book, the focus stays steadily on the comics medium. Art and words, working together to tell stories. This single-minded focus makes the book more valuable to a comic artist than a more general treatise on art of creative writing.
Along with his earlier work, Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art, Making Comics is an excellent resource for understanding or creating your own comics masterpiece.
As an aside, the book also clued me in to some other, non-mainstream comics work that I am already enjoying checking out.

This book should be retitled as "Making Comics the Scott McCloud way," and he even admits to it. Then again, I suppose one can only teach what one knows, and he has definitely done his homework. Even though it gets a bit ranty at some points, you can tell that McCloud is someone who really and truly cares about his craft, as well as those who are 'drawn' to it.
I don't think that this book is quite as accessible as the others--it presumes a lot of foreknowledge. I found the sections about facial This book should be retitled as "Making Comics the Scott McCloud way," and he even admits to it. Then again, I suppose one can only teach what one knows, and he has definitely done his homework. Even though it gets a bit ranty at some points, you can tell that McCloud is someone who really and truly cares about his craft, as well as those who are 'drawn' to it.
I don't think that this book is quite as accessible as the others--it presumes a lot of foreknowledge. I found the sections about facial expressions and artistic motivations interesting and helpful. Overall, this book left me wanting to learn more on my own, which is what I think is its (and really any book's) greatest success.

I once wrote a 6-page comic and was blessed to have someone illustrate it. I don't think I'll ever do get involved with such a thing again, but this book is very interesting regardless. The information on emotion is influenced by Dr. Eckman's studies and worth a read all on its own. I can't wait to read Understanding Comics.

5 out of 5

Phoebe–Mar 10, 2014

Truly a masterpiece, this is a one-book non-credit course on exactly the title: Making Comics. Also, the little comic version of Scott is hilarious and inventive in all the bizarre shapes it takes to show and share with us the many elements, styles, shapes, and considerations that go into making comics and graphic novels.

5 out of 5

Zack Patten–Jun 04, 2014

This book was very helpful. It has helped me understand how to properly make a comic. I feel that in reading this I have a better idea on how to do my Graphic Novel final. It is definitely a good read if you want to learn how to make a proper comic.

5 out of 5

Jeff Jackson–Aug 04, 2008

Anyone interesting in storytelling period will find some great tips here, including a fascinating chapter on facial expressions and physical gestures and an essential section on how Manga works.

4 out of 5

Ming–Apr 01, 2018

I've been reading comics for a while now, and I recently decided that I had a story to tell that would work best as a comic. I'd read Scott McCloud's The Sculptor before, and liked it very much, and decided that this book would be worth checking out.
Whenever one writes something that resembles a textbook, there's always the chance that it will be parochial in some way, especially if we're talking about something essentially creative (as opposed to something technical, like e.g. drawing using 1- I've been reading comics for a while now, and I recently decided that I had a story to tell that would work best as a comic. I'd read Scott McCloud's The Sculptor before, and liked it very much, and decided that this book would be worth checking out.
Whenever one writes something that resembles a textbook, there's always the chance that it will be parochial in some way, especially if we're talking about something essentially creative (as opposed to something technical, like e.g. drawing using 1-point perspective). Even if we avoid making value judgments that says "This is the way to do things" (which is probably inevitable insofar as the book aims to be helpful to the novice/amateur), we usually find that we have to reduce the multitude of possibilities into a manageable list - e.g. these are the 5 basic human emotions, these are the 4 basic types of comic book writers, these are the 7 schools of thought when it comes to drawing etc. McCloud does all of these things, but what makes the book work is that is that he's always clear that he's simply suggesting possibilities to the reader, that the final decision lies in the hands of the would-be comic writer, and that his reasons for drawing up lists or categorising things is to give the reader a flavour of the paths that other people have taken, just in case they may be useful. One may indeed desire to be an iconoclast, and there's nothing wrong with that, but it is often helpful to stand on the shoulder of giants, and know which giants there are to begin with. At the very least, it's always valuable to have a good clear knowledge of what the possibilities are, even if one doesn't ultimately run after them.

4 out of 5

Michael–Mar 23, 2018

Basically, McCloud is taking the lessons of Understanding Comics and adding a few new theories about the Schools of Creative Thought (Classicists - pieces of beautiful art, think Hal Foster; Animists - content first, almost everybody; Formalists - experimenting with the form, ala Dave McKean; Iconoclasts - creating authentic human moments, R. Crumb), and a section on why Manga connects with readers (very intriguing stuff).
He also talks about types of panel transitions, when to use them, the effe Basically, McCloud is taking the lessons of Understanding Comics and adding a few new theories about the Schools of Creative Thought (Classicists - pieces of beautiful art, think Hal Foster; Animists - content first, almost everybody; Formalists - experimenting with the form, ala Dave McKean; Iconoclasts - creating authentic human moments, R. Crumb), and a section on why Manga connects with readers (very intriguing stuff).
He also talks about types of panel transitions, when to use them, the effects of lettering, the importance of faces and body language, and how to build a world convincingly. It's all very theoretical, for the most part, although he does use some good concrete examples from other (often popular) artists. It's not the sort of info that you'll ever think about while reading, but I can see its value. If a creator is attempting to create a specific reaction and is struggling with it, McCloud's theories could provide at least a strong fundamental jumping off point.
Very, very intriguing, interesting ideas. Delivered with McCloud's usual wit and creatively designed page. The "exercises" at the end of each chapter might actually be helpful too.

4 out of 5

Jacob–Mar 09, 2018

I didn't find this as fun of a read as Understanding Comics, but it was still highly enjoyable! As the title suggests, It is a more technical and instructional book. However, it's not a "how to draw" guide (the author himself admits that there are hundreds of books on that subject already). Rather, it takes a more broad approach, with subjects such as portraying emotion and body language, tools of the trade, and exploring style and genre.
I think the theme for the instruction can be nicely summed I didn't find this as fun of a read as Understanding Comics, but it was still highly enjoyable! As the title suggests, It is a more technical and instructional book. However, it's not a "how to draw" guide (the author himself admits that there are hundreds of books on that subject already). Rather, it takes a more broad approach, with subjects such as portraying emotion and body language, tools of the trade, and exploring style and genre.
I think the theme for the instruction can be nicely summed up from how he closes the introduction: "There are no rules. Here they are." While there are guidelines to follow (or at least understand), he leaves it to you to explore what works best for you. There are even some exercises found at the end of each chapter to help you along in your journey.
There's also a companion website. Unlike most companion websites to a book, as of this writing this one actually still exists! No trips to archive.org necessary, though you can tell that it hasn't been updated much since launch.

5 out of 5

Steve Tetreault–Jun 26, 2018

I enjoyed McCloud's first book, Undestanding Comics, quite a bit, and followed up with his other technical works, as he seems to consistently offer interesting analysis of comics and insights into why they are ore than just a children's entertainment. Although I did not personally enjoy this volume as much as the first, mostly because of the many references back to that first work, I am planning to recommend this book to the art teachers in my school district, as it provides an excellent overvie I enjoyed McCloud's first book, Undestanding Comics, quite a bit, and followed up with his other technical works, as he seems to consistently offer interesting analysis of comics and insights into why they are ore than just a children's entertainment. Although I did not personally enjoy this volume as much as the first, mostly because of the many references back to that first work, I am planning to recommend this book to the art teachers in my school district, as it provides an excellent overview of the importance of comics as an artistic medium, as well a providing a series of exercises readers can attempt to improve their creation of comics. And there are chapters which I think would benefit any students working in any medium, be it graphic arts, film, or literature, as McCloud does a fine job of discussing story structure and the uses of symbolic elements to engage readers. Well worth a read!

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